Apparatus for packaging linear material

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for packaging linear material such as glass strand on a collector and using a traversing arrangement including rotary traversing means on an elongated member with two supports engaging the elongated member on opposite sides of the rotary traversing means; at least one of the supports being stationary and holding the elongated member for rotating and axial reciprocating motion.

I United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,739,995

Oswald June 19, 1973 APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING LINEAR 2,763,443 9/1956 Goodhue et :al. 242/27 MATERIAL 2,391,870 1/1946 Beach 242/18 G 3,109,602 11/1963 Smith 242/18 0 Inventor: Leo Alex Oswald, fluntingdon, 3,254,850 6/1966 Martin et a1. 242/18 0 [73] Assignee: Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation, Toledo Ohio Pnmary ExammerStanley N. G-llreath Atz0rney-Staelin & Overman [22] Filed: Apr. 19, 1971 [2]] Appl. No.: 134,989 [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for packaging linear material such as glass 52 US. Cl. 242/18 0, 2 42 43 Strand 911 a collector and using a traversing arrange- 51 Im. Cl B6511 54/28 including rotary traversing means on an elon- [58] Field of Search 242/18 G, 43 gated member with two supports engaging the 6101* gated member on opposite sides of the rotary traversing 5 References Cited means; at least one of the supports being stationary and UNITED STATES PATENTS holding the elongated member for rotating and axial I reciprocating motion. 3,549,096 12/1970 Kllnk 242/l8 G 2,236,432 3/1941 Jacobson 242/27 3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures INVENTOR. 122 L50 44/51 ash A40 APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING LINEAR MATERIAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In many filament forming operations such as forming continuous filament glass, winding apparatus collects filament bundles or strands as wound packages. The packages form on collecting tubes carried by a collet or spindle driven at high rotational speeds.

The strands are substantially without twist and hence lack bundle integrity found in yarn. Accordingly, traversing arrangements reciprocate advancing strands lengthwise of their collecting collets to form helically wound packages.

If strands are wound with successive strand turns substantially in side-by-side relation, the filaments of adjacent strand turns tend to become intertangled. Strand breaks occur all too frequently upon unwinding such packages.

A successful strand traversing mechanism for high speed operation is the spiral wire arrangement shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,391,870 to Beach. The traversing mechanism moves a strand by a pair of cooperating substantially spirally shaped complimentary cam members carried by a shaft supported at one end. The winding apparatus rotates the shaft at high rpm.

Spiral wire whip heretofore plagued shafts carrying the spirally shaped cam members justas such whip has reduced effectiveness of other strand traversing arrangements. As the spiral wire shaft rotates, the shaft gyrates. The motion of gyration becomes worse at higher rpms.

In fiber forming operations, such as forming glass filaments, the gyrating motion of the spiral wire shaft continuously changes the position of the cam members; the continuously changing cam position introduces short term yardage variations in the strands formed.

The gyrating motion of the shaft limits the maximum rotational speed of the shaft and hence limits the speeds of traversing mechanisms.

Since the gyrating motion is greater at locations spaced farther from the shafts support, the motion also limits the number of traversing stations or mechanisms that the shaft can effectively carry.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is improved winding apparatus for linear material; and particularly improved ap' paratus for winding glass strands into wound packages in a glass filament forming operation.

Another object is an improved rotary strand traversing support mechanism.

Yet another object is winding apparatus that uses an elongated member carrying rotary traversing means and that operates without gyrating the member.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the invention is described in more detail with references made to the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic front elevation view of winding apparatus collecting two wound packages of continuous filament glass strands in a filament forming operation according to the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat enlarged view in perspective of the traversing arrangement of the winding apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view in perspective of the guide member forming part of the traversing arrangement of the winding apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 through 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged front elevation view of the traversing arrangement. The dashed lines indicate various locations possible using the support arrangement;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a portion of the traversing arrangement.

DESCRIPTIONOF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention is particularly valuable in processes for forming continuous filaments from heat-softened mineral material such as molten glass. In such processes, apparatus combines individual continuous filaments to form a strand that is collected as a wound package. The invention is useful in other fiber forming and other manufacturing processes that collect linear material of glass filaments or other fibers. Hence, winding apparatus collecting glass strand into a wound package in a glass filament forming operation is only an example to explain the operation of the invention.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show apparatus operating to form continuous glass filaments from streams of heat-softened glass. The apparatus combines the glass filaments into two strands that simultaneously collect as two similar side-by-side wound packages. As illustrated, a container or feeder 10 holds a supply of molten glass. The container 10 may connect to a forehearth that supplies molten glass from afurnace or may connect to other molten glass supply means such as a melter that re duces glass marbles to a heat-softened condition. At the ends of the container 10 are terminals 12 that connect to a source of electrical energy. Electrical current passing through the walls of the container 10 through the terminals 12 generates heat by conventional resistance heating to maintain the molten glass in the container 10 at proper fiber-forming temperatures and viscosities.

The container 10 has a bottom wall 14 that includes orifices or passageways for delivering molten glass streams 16. As shown, the orifices in the bottom 14 comprise rows of depending orificed projections or tubular members 18.

The molten glass streams 16 are attenuated into individual continuous glass filament 20. Gathering shoes 24 and 26 below the container 10 combine the filaments 20 into strands 28 and 30 respectively.

While the filaments 20 may be protected only by the application of water to them, it is desirable in most instances to apply a conventional liquid sizing or other coating material to them. In the embodiment shown, nozzles 32 and 34 are near the bottom wall 14 and spray water onto the newly formed advancing filaments 20 before the gathering shoes 24 and 26 combine the filaments 20 into the strands 28 and 30.

Applicators 36 and 38 supported within housings 40 and 42 respectively apply a liquid sizing or other coating material to the advancing filaments 20. The applicators are just above the gathering shoes 24 and 26. While the applicators 36 and 38 may be any suitable means known to the art, they are illustrated as endless forth lengthwise of the packages 44 and 46 as the,

strands 28 and 30 wind on coazially mounted collectors such as tubes 54 and S6. The tubes are telescoped over a mandrel or collet 58; the collet 58 is journalled for rotation on the winder 50. A motor 60 within the housing of the winder 50 appropriately rotates the collet 58 through a non-slipping belt 62.

As illustrated the center line of the container is in a vertical plane intersecting the horizontally disposed collet 58 equidistant from the mid-length of each of the packages 44 and 46. The gathering shoes 24 and 26 are in vertical planes intersecting the mid-length of their respective horizontally disposed collecting tubes 54 and 56.

The strand traversing arrangement 52 is near the packages-54 and 56 (collet 58) and includes rotary strand oscillator or traversing means carried by an elongated member for rapidly traversing the strands lengthwise of the collet 58 within adjacent zones and further includes means for slowly reciprocating these zones lengthwise of the collet 58.

In the embodiment shown a rod or shaft 66 carries the rotary traversing means. A motor 68 within the housing of the winder 50 drives the shaft 66 in rotation. A coupling 72 joins the motors output shaft 70 with the rod 66.

Drive apparatus slowly axially reciprocates the shaft or rod 66 lengthwise of the collet 58. As shown, within the housing of the winder 50 the motor 68 is on a support 74 that slideably engages a guideway 76 in a stationary mount 78. The guideway 76 permits the motor 68 and support 74 to move in thedirection of the axis of rotation of the motor output shaft 70 (and the shaft 66).

The motor'68 also drives a speed reducing mechanism 80 that rotates a shaft 82 carrying a worm gear 84. .A bracket support 86 on the movable support 74 rotatably holds a vertically oriented wheel gear 88 in gear meshing relationship with the worm gear 84. A link 90 pivotally connects at one end eccentrically on the vertically disposed wheel gear 88 and pivotally connects at its other end to the stationary mount 78. Hence, the

link 90, mount 78 and wheel gear 88 form a crank arrangement that effects reciprocating movement to the shaft 66 upon movement of the worm gear 84.

The motor 68, through the speed reducing mechanism 80 and shaft 82, rotates the worm gear 84. The worm gear in turn rotates the wheel gear 88. As the rotating wheel gear 88 moves the link 90, the link alternately pushes and pulls the support 74 back and forth in the guideway 76 of the stationary mount 78 axially reciprocate the shaft 66.

As shown, the strand traversing arrangement 52 includes two traversing means in the form of cam members 94 and 96 that provide cam guide surfaces controlling the rapid traversing movement of the strands 28 and 30 respectively. As shown, the cam members each include a pair of substantially spirally shaped complimentary cam wires 98 and 100. These wires may be made of brass or'other suitable material capable of refrom the collet 58.

4 sisting the wearing action of the moving glass strands 28 and 30.

A support 106 holds the shaft 66 at a location farther from the housing of the winder 50 than the cam members 94 and 96. Since the shaft 66 is rotatably supported within the housing of the winder 50, the shaft is rotatably supported on opposite sides of the cam members 94 and 96. As shown, the support 106 is on the winder 50 and includes a guide 108, a vertical support member or shaft 110, a bracket 112 and a coupling 114.

The bracket 112 is spaced below the shaft 66 and projects from the winder housing in a direction parallel to the shaft 66 and slightly offset therefrom. The bracket 112 terminates with an adjusting rod 113.

The coupling 114 joins the bracket 112 and the vertical support shaft 110. In the embodiment shown the coupling 114 is a member having slot openings 116 and 117 located at opposite sides. These openings are oriented normal to each other. The slots 116 and 117 conform at their base regions to receive the adjusting rod 113 of the bracket 112 and the vertical support shaft respectively. Bolts 118 draw the walls of the slots into gripping relationship with the rod 113 and vertical support member 110 to form a rigid unit.

At its upper end the vertical support member 110 holds the guide 108. While guide member 108 is shown permanently fixed to the ably secured.

As shown, the guide 108 is a horizontally disposed tubular member slideably engaging the shaft 66. A bushing 120 within the guide 108 the entire length thereof forms a passageway 122. As shown, the shaft 66 extends through the passageway 122.

The bushing 120 maybe made of a variety of bearing materials. For example, it is possible to use sintered bronze, babbitt and graphited bronze. In operation, it has been useful to use a non-lubricated bearing material sold by Garlock-Nadella Corporation under the trademark DU. This bearing material is made of three bonded materials. The first layer is a backing strip of steel; the middle layer is porous bronze, the pores being solidly filled with a mixture of polytetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and lead; and a surface layer of the same TFE-lead mixture that fills the porous bronze of the middle layer.

The guide 108 may use other bearing arrangements, e.g.-ball bearings, in place of the bushing 120.

As indicated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the construction of the support 106 permits changes in the-location of the horizontally disposed guide 108 to align the passageway 122 with the shaft 66. For example, as indicated in FIG. 5, an operator can change the location of the guide 108 by moving the vertical support member 110 axially upwardly or downwardly. Moreover, it is possible to move the coupling 114 about the longitudinal axis of the bracket 1 12; such a change inclines the vertical support member 110 with respect to the vertical plane. Hence, it is possible to move the guide 108 towards or away Further, the vertical support shaft 110 can move about its axis to change the disposition of the guide 108 in the horizontal plane.

The support 106 normally holds the shaft 66 parallel to the collet 58. Accordingly, the passageway 122 of the guide 108 normally extends in a direction parallel member 110, it can be remov- I to the collet 58 to align the shaft 66 parallel with the collet 58.

When the winder 50 operates, the rotating shaft 66 reciprocates in the passageway 122 (bushing 120). The guide 108 remains fixed.

When the apparatus uses bearing material such as the bushing 120, the guide 108 engages on the shaft 66 in slide fit relationship.

Although the apparatus is disclosed to collect two glass strands into two wound packages, the apparatus can be modified to collect one or more than two glass strands, or other linear material, into individual packages.

The apparatus can be used with other rotary traversing means such as disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,306,721.

In view of the foregoing, the reader will recognize that although a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown, many modifications may be made within the scope of the invention; therefore, it is not the intent to limit the invention to specific embodiments.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for packaging linear material comprising:

a housing;

a horizontal collector rotatably mounted on the housing upon which advancing linear material is wound as a package;

means for rotating the collector;

a horizontal rod on the housing near the collector disposed lengthwise thereof;

rotary cam means on the rod for reciprocating the advancing linear material axially of the collector to distribute the material on the collector during rotation of the horizontal rod;

a support within the housing rotatably holding the rod member at one side of the rotary cam means;

means for rotating the rod continuously during formation of the package, the rotary cam means rotating with the rod member;

means for reciprocating the rod lengthwise of the collector more slowly than reciprocation of the linear material by the rotary cam means to further distribute the advancing linear material on the collecor; and

another support on the housing holding the rod at the other side of the rotary cam means including a horizontally disposed bracket member below the collector, a coupling releasably fixed on the horizontal bracket member for regulated movement about a horizontal axis, a generally vertical support member releasably held by the coupling at a location spaced from the horizontal axis for regulated vertical movement, a guide member on the support member having a horizontally disposed passageway for extension of the rod in slide fit relationship, the coupling and support member each being fixed in position such that the passageway is aligned with the rod and the rod extends into the passageway.

2. Apparatus for simultaneously forming wound packages of glass strand comprising:

a feeder for supplying streams of molten glass for attenuation into continuous glass filaments;

a housing below the feeder;

means for combining the filaments into more than one strand between the feeder and housing;

horizontal axially aligned rotatable collectors on the housing upon which the individual advancing glass strands are wound as spaced apart packages;

means for rotating the collectors together;

a horizontal shaft on the housing near the collectors disposed lengthwise thereof;

rotary cam members on the shaft for individually reciprocating the advancing glass strands axially of the collectors to distribute the strands on the collectors during rotation of the shaft;

a support within the housing rotatably holding the shaft at one side of the cam members;

means for rotating the shaft continuously during formation of the packages, the cam members rotating with the shaft;

means for reciprocating the shaft lengthwise of the collector more slowly than reciprocation of the strands by the rotary cam members to further distribute the advancing glass strands on the collector; and

another support on the housing holding the shaft at the other side of the rotary cam members, such support including a horizontally disposed bracket member below the collectors, a coupling releasably mounted on the bracket member for regulated movement about a horizontal. axis, a generally vertically disposed longitudinal support member releasably held by the coupling at a location spaced from the horizontal axis for regulated vertical movement, a guide member on the upper end re gion of the support member, the guide member having a horizontally disposed passageway, the coupling and support member each being fixed in position such that the passageway is aligned with the shaft, the shaft extending in slide fit relationship into the passageway. 3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the cam members each include a pair of substantially spirally shaped complimentary cam wires. 

1. Apparatus for packaging linear material comprising: a housing; a horizontal collector rotatably mounted on the housing upon which advancing linear material is wound as a package; means for rotating the collector; a horizontal rod on the housing near the collector disposed lengthwise thereof; rotary cam means on the rod for reciprocating the advancing linear material axially of the collector to distribute the material on the collector during rotation of the horizontal rod; a support within the housing rotatably holding the rod member at one side of the rotary cam means; means for rotating the rod continuously during formation of the package, the rotary cam means rotating with the rod member; means for reciprocating the rod lengthwise of the collector more slowly than reciprocation of the linear material by the rotary cam means to further distribute the advancing linear material on the collecor; and another support on the housing holding the rod at the other side of the rotary cam means including a horizontally disposed bracket member below the collectoR, a coupling releasably fixed on the horizontal bracket member for regulated movement about a horizontal axis, a generally vertical support member releasably held by the coupling at a location spaced from the horizontal axis for regulated vertical movement, a guide member on the support member having a horizontally disposed passageway for extension of the rod in slide fit relationship, the coupling and support member each being fixed in position such that the passageway is aligned with the rod and the rod extends into the passageway.
 2. Apparatus for simultaneously forming wound packages of glass strand comprising: a feeder for supplying streams of molten glass for attenuation into continuous glass filaments; a housing below the feeder; means for combining the filaments into more than one strand between the feeder and housing; horizontal axially aligned rotatable collectors on the housing upon which the individual advancing glass strands are wound as spaced apart packages; means for rotating the collectors together; a horizontal shaft on the housing near the collectors disposed lengthwise thereof; rotary cam members on the shaft for individually reciprocating the advancing glass strands axially of the collectors to distribute the strands on the collectors during rotation of the shaft; a support within the housing rotatably holding the shaft at one side of the cam members; means for rotating the shaft continuously during formation of the packages, the cam members rotating with the shaft; means for reciprocating the shaft lengthwise of the collector more slowly than reciprocation of the strands by the rotary cam members to further distribute the advancing glass strands on the collector; and another support on the housing holding the shaft at the other side of the rotary cam members, such support including a horizontally disposed bracket member below the collectors, a coupling releasably mounted on the bracket member for regulated movement about a horizontal axis, a generally vertically disposed longitudinal support member releasably held by the coupling at a location spaced from the horizontal axis for regulated vertical movement, a guide member on the upper end region of the support member, the guide member having a horizontally disposed passageway, the coupling and support member each being fixed in position such that the passageway is aligned with the shaft, the shaft extending in slide fit relationship into the passageway.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the cam members each include a pair of substantially spirally shaped complimentary cam wires. 